


because the only hope for me is you alone

by Lady_Iwaizumi



Series: Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys [3]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Criminals, Alternate Universe - Police, Alternate Universe - Yakuza, Anxiety, Awkward Sexual Situations, Bank Robbery, Based on a My Chemical Romance Song, Betrayal, Blood and Injury, Crimes & Criminals, Crushes, Eventual Happy Ending, Fights, Flirting, Getaway Cars, Guns, Gunshot Wounds, Hiding, Hostage Situations, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, KILLJOY UNIVERSE, Kissing, Love Hotels, M/M, Major Character Injury, Making Out, On the Run, Radio, Running Away, Secret Identity, Sexual Humor, Sexual Tension, Sharing a Bed, Smoking, Sneaking Around, Song fic, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-05
Updated: 2018-06-05
Packaged: 2019-05-09 20:25:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14723015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Iwaizumi/pseuds/Lady_Iwaizumi
Summary: Kobra Kid tries to think the situation over as his hostage sleeps soundly in the love motel. Things are not going according to plan, and Terushima worries for his future after information is turned over to the authorities by his con "friends." Oh, and the irritating hostage was right about the car breaking down...On the run again, Kuroo discovers the truth behind his young captor.





	because the only hope for me is you alone

**Author's Note:**

> In this episode of Danger Days, we find out the truth behind our young killjoy...does he have a heart after all? (BTW, only in fanfiction are bank robbers not crazed on drugs lunatics. I advise against engaging in a relationship with one)

With Kuroo sleeping, there was nothing else for Terushima to do besides panic.

 

He was still wearing his dirty black underwear and couldn’t care less that he had chased Kuroo outside half-naked. Nudity had never been a concern before, and it definitely wasn’t now. A few moderately (by moderately, Yuuji meant severe as hell) serious problems had arisen: the Miya twins, leaders of their gang organization working for a rival yakuza had decided to cooperate with the police. The rats had turned him in. Judging on how this was the second time he tried betraying them, Terushima predicted their behavior, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t scared shitless. Firstly, they knew his name. Secondly, they knew how much cash he _actually_ had sitting by the side of the bed. Thirdly…they knew his getaway car. It was easy enough to lie about a name, but the car was unmistakable.

Shockingly, that detail wasn’t the worst of Terushima’s concerns.

The police finding him would be the better case scenario—they would book him, set bail, sentence him for accessory to robbery, give parole…but…if the twins or their employer found him first…

He thought of all the guns they sell. A full body shiver shook Kobra Kid’s figure.

 _I only wanted a good chunk of cash_ , the blonde thought frantically, forcing himself to stand and pace the floor. The gun was limply gripped in his left hand. _I didn’t want to bring some innocent guy into this…but I can’t let him go or run away, because then we’ll both be screwed! Mostly me, but he could get in trouble too if Atsumu hires someone to find him…he’ll tell them my location and be killed in cold blood. Where will we stand when all the lights go out across these city streets?_

Terushima’s hands were still shaking. He willed them to stop and turned to glance at Kuroo; the mechanic was sleeping soundly for someone bound to a headboard, eyes closed lightly, body limp and relaxed. The opposite of how Kobra Kid felt…the image of those irritated wrists on Kuroo didn’t make him feel any better, but what could he do? If Kuroo ran away, he would be on his own. While that never bothered Terushima before, this situation was different—if Kuroo tried running away a second time, he would have to be shot. That’s what every other criminal with a hostage would do.

But today, Terushima didn’t feel like “every other criminal.”

Kuroo was a nice, blue collar kind of guy. The blonde was sorry the poor bastard found himself at Scarecrow during their raid; his luck streak was probably as grey and blank as Terushima’s, which meant this wouldn’t end well for him. Even before taking the hot mechanic hostage Kobra Kid knew he was terrified of guns—who wouldn’t be, when the barrel was pointed right at you? Earlier, when Terushima had teased Kuroo by pressing the gun against his forehead…his heart began to beat so loudly you could _hear_ the noise. The sound was too real and vital for him to continue teasing the guy. The amount of relief in his hazel cat eyes shocked Terushima back to reality.

 

 _Okay…just…calm down, Yuuji_ , the blonde told himself silently, releasing a deep sigh meant to ease his nerves. _Kuroo’s sleeping. He won’t try to escape again…at least I hope not. Why don’t you rest your eyes for a little bit?_

_Yeah…yeah, good idea._

Terushima forced himself to sit down in the orange chair sitting by the corner of the room, right next to the sliding doors; he set the money bags down at his feet and leaned back, although the tension didn’t release from his body. The words of the news reporter came back, haunting his fluttering eyelids each time he dared close them—Kobra Kid kept seeing the angry face of Atsumu, hearing his scream as Kuroo stared in horror, their car speeding out of the alleyway back at the Scarecrow Unit. Terushima wanted to be remembered. He thought Atsumu and his group could help with that. Honestly, he would have given half the money back after taking some for himself! Probably. At least he thought he would. Maybe he would even refund Kuroo for the motel room.

 _Kuroo…I wonder if he knows I won’t shoot him. What if he does?_ Terushima thought in fear, gripping his gun closer. _He’s given me chances and I haven’t taken any of them—he’s bound to notice eventually! What if I can’t use it on him when he’s running away next time? What if I let him get away and watch him tell the police everything? Would I be able to use it once my life is on the line?_

_Probably not._

Amidst Kobra Kid’s minor mental breakdown, Kuroo slept on the mattress quietly, oblivious to what was happening a few feet away. The money bags had never given off such a terrible omen before, infecting the entire hotel room with regret and guilt; this added to Terushima’s misery, and he couldn’t help but see grisly images of what Atsumu’s boss would do to him for running away like he had. Suguru’s methods of torture were bad enough. What would they do first? Shoot his friends? He didn’t have any left. Would they shoot Kuroo? Probably worse, actually. They enjoy burning people in purifying flame. Their methods sickened Terushima, and as he watched the moonlight flicker over the mechanic’s exhausted sleeping face, his concern increased drastically. Kuroo couldn’t die—he was innocent! He had nothing to do with their robbery! It was just the wrong place at the wrong time, that’s all…but they wouldn’t be able to explain that fully because they would have already been shot, if Kuroo wasn’t dead already. What the hell were they going to do? By morning the police might already be onto them; they wouldn’t have time to drive all the way across Japan again. Maybe they could escape into South Korea? No, no…that was too far away…maybe they could ditch the car? Not fucking happening. Terushima _loved_ that car like a brother. Who else had a Firebird Trans Am with a spider painted on the front?

Defeat was beginning to seem inevitable. Kobra Kids’ words from earlier about the bad guys always winning had never been so untrue.

“I should have known,” The blonde whispered lowly. “Atsumu could never get me to the top…fuckin scarecrow…”

Terushima set his yellow gun on the nearest table, turning his tired gaze back towards Kuroo. The hostage was still sleeping in that uncomfortable position, thankfully not awake and noticing how shitty Kobra Kid looked or how scared he was. Thankfully, Tetsurou hadn’t commented on the entire goodnight kiss thing—the kid had no fucking clue why he kissed Kuroo. Maybe it was an act of comfort. Kiss a hot guy, feel better about yourself? That made some sense, maybe. Terushima knew deep down it might have been an act of desperation and loneliness, but since he would never admit to it, the issue would remain unsolved. Kuroo was pretty hot, though…maybe hate sex would make his life better?

_Doubtful, although it might feel nice._

The motel was shockingly quiet for being a love hotel. If Terushima were to shoot Kuroo in his sleep to avoid agony and a dramatic scene, anyone within a few blocks would be able to hear the gunshot. But that wasn’t the solo reason why Terushima wouldn’t kill Kuroo.

 

The biggest reason was that Kuroo was innocent (and hot). The second biggest reason was that the bad-ass Kobra Kid _couldn’t_ kill anyone.

 

Terushima leaned his head against the back of the chair, closed his eyes and hoped that when he woke, everything would have just been a terrible, _terrible_ nightmare.

~~~-~~~

Kuroo woke-up early the next morning to a cluttering sound beside his head. When he finally got his sleepy eyes to focus, it took him a long moment to remember where he was and who the hell was standing by the bedside with a tray full of food.

_“Look alive, sunshine! This is a hold-up!”_

_“You’re too hot to be a civilian; you must be a cop, huh?”_

_“If you don’t want to die today, get in the fucking car, now!”_

_“Like what you see?”_

_“Turn around and keep running. I dare you.”_

“So it wasn’t a dream…” Kuroo mumbled to himself, wincing as his back erupted into soreness. His wrists felt far worse, and his arms were stripped of any relaxation pose since he was trying to find a position to ease the burning of his hands throughout the night. The bedroom was still fairly shadowed and dark, the lazy mood meant for lovers waking in each other’s arms; Kuroo felt the exact opposite emotion, although his soreness might be attributed to Terushima from the eyes of poor innocent Yachi at the front desk. The mechanic tried picturing a kind lover lacking details of face lying on his chest, prettily fatigued and sweaty from a romantic night at the _Crow’s Nest_ …

Someone cleared their throat beside the bed, making Tetsurou tiredly glance left, leaving behind his invisible lover.

Terushima himself was standing there, blonde hair messy and roughly slicked back as he drank hot coffee from a styrofoam cup, looking exhausted and mildly irritated. He was wearing the same red jacket as yesterday, but without the tank top underneath and his black jeans riding low on those pointed hip bones; Kuroo had a feeling he was definitely having fun with the entire love motel cover-up. Certainly after that weird kiss last night…there _had_ been a kiss, right? Or did Kuroo imagine that part of this road trip?

“Nice hair.” Terushima smirked. “Your arms were bound and you _still_ managed to mess it up that much? You truly are a magician, Kuroo.”

Tetsurou scowled a little and went to fix his hair (try, at least), only finding his wrists still painfully bound to the headboard. At least he hadn’t drooled all over himself. Do criminals care about that sort of thing?

“Here,” Kobra Kid mumbled, setting the tray and coffee cup down on the floor. “Watch your head.”

What little hope Kuroo had of Terushima untying him was wasted and gone as the younger male only untied the hostage from the uncomfortable position, bringing his hands down and securing the tie once more. The ache in Kuroo’s shoulders increased, his groan of pain going unnoticed by Terushima. At least his wrists had turned numb, so that pain wasn’t as bad as it could have felt. Without asking if he was injured the bank robber sat on the edge of the bed and whipped open a little container of pineapple yogurt. This along with almost all the coffee available was Terushima’s breakfast. Kuroo’s vision cleared more, pointing out the dark circles under Terushima’s bloodshot eyes, the sleepiness lingering on his flushed skin, and especially the heaviness of his usually energetic body. Instead of tapping or fidgeting Terushima was slumped down, as if he hadn’t slept at all.

 _Probably keeping a look out for the cops_ , Kuroo thought dryly, huffing as his back tried straightening out. _They’re probably onto us by now. But maybe my hands will have been sawed off by that time, in which I’ll die of blood loss before they reach us. Dang._

“It’s five in the morning,” The blonde informed him scratchily, taking another scoopful of yogurt. “Figured we better get on the road before everyone else wakes-up. Gotta catch the traffic report, too.”

“Mm…”

“You hungry, sleeping beauty?”

“I’m fine, thanks…”

Terushima rolled his eyes as Kuroo’s stomach growled loudly. He scooped up some yogurt and began leaning towards the hostage casually, like feeding another human being over the age of six was perfectly normal. Maybe it was, but not in this situation, and _certainly_ not between a captor and his victim.

“I’m really okay,” Kuroo declined, eyeing Terushima’s determined gaze. “I’ll be—”

“I’m being nicer than I should be, Pegasus.” The blonde said a tad bit sharply. “Open your damn mouth before I kiss it open.”

_I knew that kiss happened!!!_

While Tetsurou opened his mouth to speak, Terushima used it as an opportunity for shoving the yogurt inside, accidentally (or purposely) smearing the yellowish cream all over his lips. The blonde laughed loudly, though it wasn’t as happy as his regular laugh. Kuroo licked at the yogurt around his mouth, hoping he got it all so they wouldn’t be driving around Japan with breakfast stains everywhere. As horrible as the mechanic looked right now, he didn’t care for appearing dirty. He was proud like that.

Terushima continued to eat his breakfast in total silence, creeping his hostage out to the max; once in a while he would pause his meal in order for Kuroo to eat as well. By the time fifteen-minutes passed the food tray was completely empty, the blonde having downed the last of the chocolate milk a second before. Tetsurou had half a blueberry muffin, a few bites of eggs, some yogurt and a small glass of apple juice. Apparently Terushima had been kind enough to get him his own glass, though he did continue to hand feed Kuroo like a child. Or maybe it was a form of foreplay…

Either way, when Terushima finished and set the tray aside, the hostage had eaten enough to ask a small courageous sentence.

“W—What are you going to do next?”

Kobra Kid’s golden eyes flickered up, his hand slowly ceasing to roll the empty cup around between his fingers. Kuroo couldn’t read his expression.

“Just trust me, Pegasus.”

“…Trust you to what? Get us killed?”

_I’ve really got to purchase a morning filter._

“You, maybe. But not me.” Terushima smirked. Again, this smirk was different from his usual showing. “I won’t be dying anytime soon.”

Kuroo didn’t exactly believe him, but the blonde didn’t exactly care—they needed to get on the road again. At so early in the morning no one would be up, and therefore they had less of a chance of being spotted in the Trans Am. After roughly cleaning the motel room (Tetsurou was shocked by this act, as it went against his captor’s entire personality), ensuring they had left no clues or personal belongings behind (purposely or accidentally), the kid untied Kuroo’s wrists and led him outside, not bothering to visit the front desk and check out. The door to their room was open, the key left on the TV stand, and that was good enough for Terushima. Kuroo exited first, suddenly _fearful_ of leaving the _Crow’s Nest_ in the same situation in which he had arrived; nothing had changed. And that was as terrifying as it was relieving. Terushima still had his yellow hand gun, still had the bags of stolen millions thrown in the backseat. Tetsurou was still a helpless hostage at his side, and despite a night to think things over, he still didn’t have a getaway plan. They did have a getaway car, however, so Kuroo used this as a comforting thought. Maybe stealing the car when Terushima had to take a piss was his best shot at survival.

“Hop in, seatbelt on.” The blonde ordered, pushing Kuroo towards his firebird.

“Yes sir.”

“Smartass,” Terushima smirked, watching as his victim slid into the car and buckled up. “I want to go say a sweet goodbye to Yachi-chan, but I think she’ll remember be better if I leave quietly, without another word.”

“Don’t think she’ll care either way,” Kuroo mumbled under his breath. Kobra Kid plopped into the driver’s seat and started the engine up—the noise was a small comfort to the mechanic, who sighed before asking a question that may or may not get him shot. “Where are we going now?”

“We’ll go a little ways east. I know some people in a shitty little town that way. They might help us.”

_Might? So you mean they won’t._

“But first, the traffic report.”

Terushima hit the gas before Kuroo could prepare himself, and their Trans Am sped out of the parking lot, whipping around a corner and proceeding to speed down the street with no regard to traffic rules. The hostage’s body was thrown back and forth even _with_ the seatbelt on.

“Would you slow down?! You’re going to blow a gasket!!!” Kuroo shouted before he could stop himself. When a car’s life was in danger, he could never stay quiet.

“If you want a blowjob, all you have to do is ask, Tetsurou-san.”

“I’m serious!!! If you don’t ease the engine into the speed you want, the tran—”

“Be quiet.”

Something about Terushima’s dangerous tone made Kuroo’s words fade off. The blonde switched the radio on while glancing at the road every so often, though he wasn’t paying attention to the cars in front of him, just making sure he was still on the pavement. Static erupted into the speakers, but after the blonde fiddled for a second, he finally landed on channel 109.

 

Silence ensued for a few tense seconds before a voice came through.

 

“…--…bad news from the zones, tumbleweeds.” Dr. Death Defying began. Terushima gritted his teeth. “It looks like a couple of Tokyo’s finest turned in a fellow killjoy and avoided being ghosted earlier this morning. After spitting out some info to Route Guano’s notorious doctors, it’s safe to say the next few reports will have some fireworks to their blaze.”

_Fireworks…is that good for me?_

“Kobra Kid, if you’re out there in the desert, watch your leather-covered back and change your flaming tires—they’re onto you, and there’s no going back, so it’s time to hit the red line and up-thrust the volume out there. Keep your boots tight, keep your gun close and die with your mask on if you’ve got to. Here is the traffic…--…---…”

“ _FUCK!!!_ ”

Terushima slammed his hand as hard as possible onto the steering wheel, sending the car jolting left, though that wasn’t what sent a surge of terror through Kuroo’s chest. The cars honking around them became white noise behind Kobra Kid’s screams of fury. The side of his left hand was turning black already, and Kuroo was shocked that the air bag hadn’t reacted to the abusive hit. The car was swerving all over the place until the blonde’s anger turned into wild rage, causing the young man to grip the steering wheel tightly as he began dodging and skidding across the pavement. The speed dial read 86 miles per hour. Terushima pushed his heel down further, and the Trans Am was out of the city limits within a whirlwind minute of spinning and jerking around.

As scared as Kuroo was for the car’s well-being, he was a bit more concerned for Terushima’s sanity at the moment. The radio shorted out as they sped down the lonely highway, but the blonde was still reeling from the latest tip-off; a vein on his temple stood out as the mechanic dared to look over, eyes wide with hesitance and fear. Terushima could kill him in a moment of fury. He could blink and kill Kuroo with one shot, dumping his body on the side of the road. That wouldn’t be a nice image for his mother. She would think he had some part in this robbery and hate/love him for the rest of eternity. Right now, Kuroo’s thoughts drifted more towards Terushima’s feelings. It shocked him that he was now searching for a way to calm his captor down rather than focusing on the car’s overheating engine or not getting shot in the head.

“Fuckin punks!!!” Kobra Kid spat in a hiss, hitting his injured hand down once more. “ _Fuck_! Those fucking pansies!!! _Ratting_ to the _police_?!!! What the _FUCK?_!!!!”

_…Maybe I should let him rant first._

Terushima let out a terrifying scream that would have been similar to a teenage girl’s, had the pitch been a tiny bit higher. Kuroo didn’t comment and shrunk to the passenger door, trying very hard to escape the notice of the enraged criminal. Being on the other end of that yellow gun was scary enough…he didn’t want Terushima to be angry while murdering him as well. But weren’t criminals always angry at something?

Ten-minutes passed quickly, and a sign for the next town brought Kuroo back to reality.

He didn’t dare loosen his tense pose, body pressed as far away from Terushima as possible, but managed to glance left, quickly analyzing the situation; the blonde driver was still reeling with anger, a slight flicker of anxiety hidden within the flaming almond eyes. There was a good chance that if Kuroo spoke right now, it would end with his brutal murder. But…just like the night before, during his first attempted escape at Crow’s nest…there was a thin beam of hope battling against his petrifying fear. Kuroo knew this came from having nothing to lose for most of his poor life. He was strangely thankful for it in this moment.

“ _Fuck_ …” Terushima whispered one final time. “Not good. That’s not good…”

“Terushima?”

Kuroo’s word came in a high anxious squeak, but a second went by and he hadn’t been killed, so a tiny ounce of weight lifted off his shoulders. The blonde didn’t look or respond, focusing on physically abusing his car by speeding and swerving between lanes.

“…I-I…I think the um…engine might…may possibly overheat if it keeps getting throttled so suddenly.”

 _Good, good, he’s not even listening!_ The mechanic thought, though this meant bad news for the Trans Am. _Maybe I can hold on until tonight!_

“Shut...the fuck…up.”

“S-Sorry.”

Kuroo wasn’t sorry. He was concerned for the car’s engine, and the fact that Terushima had only sworn once against him meant this situation’s severity was starting to have a mental impact on the young criminal.

“ARE YOU FUCKING _KIDDING_ ME?!” The blonde screamed suddenly, slamming on the breaks. The movement was so violent against their current speed that the car nearly toppled over on its front as they came to a burning-tire stop. Kuroo’s head almost went through the thick glass windshield as Terushima gaped at the closest sign ahead. The hostage didn’t recognize the town name, but according to the robber’s reaction, this wasn’t the place he wanted to be entering. Imagine that—something Terushima didn’t want to enter.

**ROUTE CROW**

**3 MILES AHEAD**

“ _Fuckkkk_ ,” The blonde sighed in utter frustration, throwing his hands into his hair. “This fucking day just keeps getting better and better…”

“What’s…What’s wrong with this place?” Kuroo asked in a safe, neutral tone with limited voice cracks.

“What’s _not_ fucking wrong with it?” Terushima growled at himself. His eyes closed tightly for a moment as he continued gripping his blonde hair tightly. “Enemy territory, possible enemy territory, scumbags full of shit everywhere… _fuck_.”

“Scumbags?”

“Like me but fifty-times worse, understand?”

“Worse…worse than…”

“It’s a fucking gang city, alright?! It’s the capitol of all mindless criminal activity, prostitution, murders, cults, school shooters, every fucking terrible person you can imagine and _we_ have to drive through it to get to where we want to be!!!”

Terushima hit his left hand on the wheel again, only this time he let out a short gasp of pain when the already bruised skin molded against the leather. It had to hurt like hell by now, but stopping at a hospital seemed impossible with what the driver had just told Kuroo. _What are we going to do?!_ Kuroo thought in a panic, eyes widening as both men stared ahead where the city of sin was waiting. _I admit ‘we’ are a ‘we’ now! I’m going to die either way! I would much rather have Terushima shoot me than abandon me in the city like fresh meat being given to a pack of lions! What if he leaves me there?! What if this is how he gets rid of the only evidence?!_

Terushima put the car in drive.

_No no no!!! Turn around!!!_

Kuroo gripped his knees tightly, ignoring the ache in his battered wrists as the Trans Am moved slower than ever, going five miles under the speed limit for the first time the entire trip. Terushima made a point to let Kuroo know that escaping was useless, but even through his own terror the hostage could hear worry inside the blonde’s threats.

“No one here will help you, so get that through your fat head right now.” Kobra Kid spat, eyes glued on the city getting closer and closer and closer… “I wouldn’t even look anyone in the eyes, honestly—they’ll probably shoot you through the car if you see something you weren’t supposed to. There’s no fucking hospital, no homeless shelter or police station you can run to, either.” A pause to swallow his own fear. “Just stay put, Kuroo.”

 

The Firebird slowed down even more when they entered the city lines in the early hours of the morning.

 

 _A place even Terushima is scared shitless while driving through_ , Kuroo thought blankly, staring at one of the keychains dangling below the mirror. _I don’t really want to get shot…by anyone. Do I listen, or is he just pulling my leg so I won’t escape again? But if I try to escape, won’t he just be happy he gets to shoot me? I thought criminals enjoyed shit like that._

The city was dirty. Roads are dirty anyways, but this main street was the filthiest Kuroo had ever seen before. He wasn’t even looking directly at the road and could see nothing but trash and mud. It was like a small third-world country right in the middle of Japan. When something moved to the hostage’s right, he angled his head downward so all his eyes would be able to see was the small patch of road their car was moving over. Terushima, on the other hand, looked straight ahead, chin out proudly, eyes keeping to themselves. Mostly. The sound of machines and various criminal conversations was all that could be heard through each block, and with the radio turned off, this was all the boys had to focus on. The intensity overcame the atmosphere immediately, danger making itself very known to everyone; if Kuroo thought Atsumu and his gang were dangerous, Route Crow classified as certifiably dangerous. The Firebird drove carefully, not too fast, not too slow. There were some yells, some cries, some groans of agony here and there.

“$950 for the lot. No! Are you fucking deaf? $950 for the lot!”

“Didn’t I tell you to pay last week? Huh? Didn’t you hear me when I busted your husband’s neck in half?”

“More…more!”

“Fuck, that’s a nice ride…”

“I swear to god I will go inside and kill every single one of his family members. I _swear_.”

“Hey—who the fuck is that?”

“HELP!!! SOMEONE FUCKING HELP!!!”

Kuroo didn’t know if people were staring or not. He hoped they weren’t, because that would mean they could see him. He _really_ didn’t want to be seen. Grey buildings falling apart at the seams went past slowly. Some people J-walked in front of them, but Terushima didn’t honk like Kuroo expected him to. Eyes were everywhere, every detail was suddenly on display. If any of these scumbags talked to the cops, they were fucked.

_Just close your eyes and everything will be okay. Just close your eyes and everything will be okay…_

“Don’t—Don’t look right.” Terushima warned. “Keep looking down.”

When Kuroo nodded, he spotted something he hadn’t noticed before; the yellow hand gun used against him as a sick form of foreplay last night was resting on Terushima’s lap. When he _did_ notice, the blonde began reaching for it, and Tetsurou glanced over—

The next moment happened in slow motion. It was like Kuroo was seeing Terushima for the first time.

The blonde driver’s Adam’s apple moved down, then back up as Kobra Kid gulped nervously. A small bead of stress sweat slid off a lock of his hair. They were half-way through the city now, and Terushima reached for the gun with his right hand, fingers trembling as his fingers latched on. He held it up, right by his head, ready to strike, and yet…his finger wasn’t on the trigger. Even in a city like this, his finger wasn’t on the trigger. The realization hit Kuroo like an actual bullet through the skull. Half his fear for Terushima evaporated.

_Terushima won’t shoot. He can’t. He won’t._

 

“You can’t shoot anyone………can you?” Kuroo asked slowly.

The young blonde looked over immediately, startled by this question; his almond eyes weren’t wide or narrow, but Kuroo saw an expression similar to child-like fear within the almond hue. They looked at each other for a short moment before the driver faced the rough road again. His expression now turned defeated.

“I’m nineteen,” Terushima scoffed lowly. “…Of _course_ I can’t shoot anyone.”

 

Kuroo couldn’t find words. He didn’t even know what to look at. All this time he was afraid of being shot, and here Terushima was telling him he _couldn’t_ shoot someone? He could _never_ shoot someone? What the hell had this weekend been? Was Terushima just teasing Kuroo, waiting until he figured it out for himself? What kind of killjoy game was this shit?

An odd type of silence filled the car as Terushima began to speed up, able to see the edge of the sin city. There were less criminals running around on this end of town, and for a moment he almost forgot about revealing his secret to Kuroo. No one shot at them as they ignored the speed limit, gaining momentum until they burst past the city limit, emerging onto an empty highway where the sun seemed to shine as soon as Route Crow was almost out of sight. Terushima released a relieved sigh and relaxed his white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel, but his troubles were far from over; Kuroo spoke for the first time in ten-minutes after the driver tossed his yellow gun onto the dashboard.

“Stop.”

The hostage’s word reminded Terushima of last night, when Kuroo was afraid his captor was going to sexually assault him as punishment for escaping the motel. That wasn’t the only reason he looked over.

“We’re on the highway.”

“Stop and unlock the doors.”

“Are you in any position to be so demanding?”

“Terushima,” Kuroo said seriously, hazel cat eyes suddenly intimidating as he looked over. “Stop the car and let me go.”

“Listen buddy, just because I won’t shoot you doesn’t mean I can’t hurt you.” Terushima threatened, glaring at the other. “Your hair is a stupid enough reason for me to beat your ass and stuff you in the trunk.”

“This model doesn’t have a trunk.”

“Wanna go back there and find out?”

“No, I want you to stop the car and let me out.”

“Looters come this far out from Route Crow—do you know what happens when they find a car stopped in the middle of the hig—”

**_CLUNK! PEW!_ **

The engine underneath the front hood made a terrible noise, and when Terushima looked forward, smoke began to seep out of the corners.

“Shit!”

Black smoke clouded the robber’s vision as he tried to pull the Trans Am over to the side of the road without driving into a ditch. He managed to park on the right side, thankful there was low traffic on this side of Japan—the car was still locked when Kuroo reached out and tried pushing the door open. He hurriedly glanced over at Terushima and gave another demand.

“Unlock the doors.”

“No way José! I’ve taken you this far, I am _not_ letting my hostage get away now!”

Behind Terushima’s harsh words was a vulnerable puppy dog look Kuroo couldn’t un-see. The smoke was rising under the hood, and the interior had become unbearably hot, but the mechanic couldn’t look away from the sight of what looked like a child version of the bank robber. His almond eyes suddenly became glossy, though he wasn’t close to crying tears—his labored breath wasn’t caused by the humidity of the Firebird. Those short eyebrows were angled down sadly, his thin lips hovering open, wanting to protest more, to _beg_ Kuroo not to leave him alone in this. It wasn’t pathetic. It was childish.

And if Terushima was 19, Kuroo guessed he _was_ childish. Even ignoring his entire personality Terushima looked childish.

That being thought, Tetsurou shocked himself by rephrasing the question.

 

“Let me out so I can fix the car.”

 

The thought of Kuroo tricking him briefly crossed the blonde’s mind, but Kuroo was too honest of a person to trick him face to face; Terushima straightened up in his seat and nodded once quickly, trying not to show how happy he was that Kuroo was staying, if only until his captor turned his back. The car was unlocked and a second later, both boys were hurrying towards the front of the Trans Am, pushing the burning hood up to check the damage. Smoke exited in a big wind, causing the boys to cough. Kuroo waved the air away while snidely commenting to the owner of the overworked getaway car.

“Told you the engine would overheat...”

“Shut up,” Terushima coughed, but his eyes were sparkling. “I can fix it.”

“ _Or_ you could step back and let a licensed mechanic fix it. I think you’ve done enough damage for one day.”

Terushima nodded without really thinking about what he agreed to, watching quietly as Kuroo rolled up his sleeves, revealing the pink-stained wrists the blonde had wrongly tied up. More guilt washed over Terushima, but he remained silent for another moment and watched as Kuroo went to work on the car. He looked extremely handsome while tinkering around inside the Firebird; the teen pitied anyone who had to work with him. How distracting would that be?

The smoke was still seeping out from a certain part of the engine, but nothing was on fire (yet); Kuroo managed to stop the smoke long enough where he could locate the exact problem he predicted earlier.

“Dried-up…we’re lucky it didn’t burst into flames.” The black-haired man commented. “Do you have any water?”

“Yeah—I’ll go get it.”

Terushima returned with a half-full bottle of water and handed it to Kuroo, who burned the side of his right hand on the hot metal as he leaned over the car to pour a bit of water inside the smoking valve. His hiss alarmed the blonde, who leaned down to inspect the bright red skin from a safe distance.

“Burn yourself?” He asked in concern.

“…Little bit.” Kuroo answered with a shrug. The smoke stopped completely as the valve soaked the water up. “Not as bad as your hand, though.”

“I have road rage, can’t you tell?”

Terushima caught Kuroo’s half-smile and almost smiled himself. The conversation they needed to have didn’t happen for a few more minutes, the blonde too entertained by Kuroo feeding the Trans Am water every few minutes to make sure the pipe didn’t dry-up and burst into flames. _It’s nice of him to stick around long enough to fix the Firebird_ , Kobra Kid thought to himself, leaning his elbows on the edge of the car’s front like Kuroo. _He really didn’t deserve to be taken hostage and robbed. I have no clue how I can make this up to him while making sure he doesn’t get into trouble as well. Cover stories only work for so long, and the fucking twins will contradict us anyway…_

 _You could be nice, too_ , a voice suggested. _Who cares about vulnerability? Man-up and tell him how you don’t have a plan, how you’re scared shitless about the situation._

_Tell him._

 

“Listen, Kuroo-san.” The blonde began lowly, shifting his arms so he was a bit closer to Kuroo. The mechanic didn’t look over, but Terushima knew he was listening intently. “I’m not going to hurt you if you turn around and run away. I’m really sorry about everything that’s happened. I’ll apologize fully later, but…but until I figure out a plan that doesn’t end with either of us dying…will—you…”

Kuroo finally looked over, words low and hesitant. “…Will I what?”

“Will you stay with me? Please?” The blonde finished quietly. “The only hope for me is you and you alone.”

“S-ince when?” The hostage asked, voice cracking from embarrassment. The water bottle was empty, so he couldn’t pretend he was filling the valve anymore…all he had to look at was Terushima’s child-like expression.

“Since you watched me shower and didn’t try to make a move on me.”

“H- _Huh_?! Make a _move_ on you?! Why would I make a move on you?!”

“It showed great character, resisting someone as delicately sexy as me.” Terushima smiled cockily. “That was when I knew I couldn’t shoot you! Oh, and here—” He reached into his jacket pocket and took some crumpled bills out, holding them towards Kuroo. “This is your change. Sorry for pocketing it yesterday.”

“…Why are you being nice?” Tetsurou asked suspiciously, accepting the money none the less. “You don’t have to pay me for fixing your car or anything. Like you said, you could still beat my ass and shove me inside the trunk.”

Terushima’s almond eyes shone at Kuroo as his slightly bitter smile perked up.

“Every criminal becomes a saint once they’ve been caught.” He explained. “But I should warn you, killjoys aren’t always the same way.”

Kuroo sighed heavier than he ever had before and closed the Firebird’s previously dry valve. Terushima helped push the hood down, facing his now half-free-hostage boldly. He really needed someone else along for this crazy ride. He had never gotten in so much trouble that he needed help digging himself out of the hole before, but there was a first time for everything. Tetsurou thought over this offer with little care, seeing that he already had nothing to lose—taking this chance would give slightly better odds against not dying. Getting shot because he aided a bank robber was still a stupid way to die, but maybe he could visit his mother in the afterlife and explain it to her.

“Fine,” Kuroo agreed. “I’ll stay until you can carry out your plan or whatever.”

Terushima’s shoulders relaxed for the first time since they left the _Crow’s Nest_. The smile on his face was looser than ever as he happily accepted the new partnership.

“Let’s start over—” The driver suggested, holding out his injured left hand. _Who shakes with their left hand?_ “Yuuji Terushima. Nice to meet you!”

“Tetsurou Kuroo.”

A twinge of pain struck a chord of sympathy inside Kuroo’s bitter soul as he shook the blonde’s hand; Terushima’s smile, directed at him, was so pure and childish, cheeks rosy from the car’s burning engine, lips pulled back in a smooth line, so unlike his usual smirk…despite knowing his mother might disapprove, Kuroo felt like a good person for helping this kid out. This handsome, annoying, playful Kobra Kid. Some terrible things had to have happened to Yuuji in order for him to take this turn on the path of life. That was why Kuroo didn’t feel so bad.

 

Because Terushima didn’t deserve a life like this, either.

 

“Let’s get back on the road!”

“Can I trust you enough to take a nap? I couldn’t sleep very well last night, what with my hands being bound and all…”

“Fine, fine, but when I get tired it’s your turn to drive!”

 

The mechanic and the killjoy piled back into the Firebird Trans Am together and took off down the road together.

 

_If there’s a place that I could be_

_Then I’d be another memory_

_Can I be the only hope for you?_

_Because you’re the only hope for me_

_And if we can’t find where we belong_

_We’ll have to make it on our own_

_Face all the pain and take it on_

_Because the only hope for me is you, alone_

_—The Only Hope For Me Is You_

**Author's Note:**

> I loveeeeeeeeeeeeee MCR references. Don't you?!!! Much more drama to come...  
> (Also, the sequel for EVOLVE is out now! yay!)
> 
> My work schedule has weirdly become all-day shifts, which is weird because I didn't think they liked me very much. Anyway, I am trying to balance fanfiction work with my original work, and also I AM SEARCHING FOR A MANGA ARTIST!!!!!! Check out the explanation on my Tumblr @ junipermermaid :)


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